


Makhaira

by DT Maxwell (Draya)



Series: Our Blades Are Sharp [4]
Category: Star Wars: The Old Republic
Genre: F/M, Implied/Referenced Torture, Sith Inquisitor Storyline, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-09
Updated: 2014-05-09
Packaged: 2018-01-24 01:53:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1587308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Draya/pseuds/DT%20Maxwell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Or, <em>Thanaton's Bane</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	Makhaira

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to my [tumblr](http://dragons-bones.tumblr.com/post/40384679609/swtor-makhaira-or-thanatons-bane) in January 2013.
> 
> Re: the implied torture tag: There are some suspicious, short fade-to-blacks during the end of the SI class storyline, and by the time Thanaton's begging, it's rather clear he's been beaten to within an inch of his life. Considering the Renatus family's penchant for knives, it was a rather easy jump of logic that Phae would get _particularly_ nasty.

Andronikos watched from the sidelines, face carefully blank as he stood at parade rest.

She was a whirling dervish with her double-bladed lightsaber, neatly dodging Thanaton’s attacks, both Force-based and physical. When she couldn't get in close enough with her 'saber, she blasted her foe with shocks and full cascades of lightning. Her lips were pressed thin and her green eyes narrowed in concentration, but Andronikos had known Tryphaena long enough, fought at her side often enough, to know that she was toying with Thanaton.

He allowed himself to smirk, just a little.

Thanaton finally broke off, breathing heavily as he scrambled back. Phae prowled after him, more jaggalor than human in her movements, batting away Thanaton's lightning blasts as if they were flies. He couldn't see her face from his position, but he knew that though her expression was neutral, her eyes were full of laughter.

He didnit flinch when Thanaton unleashed his supercharged Force storm (Phae had been furious on the flight to Korriban, snarling how she should have known something wasn't right, not when Thanaton hadn't pulled out his favorite trick during the Kaggath), though it was a near thing. The crackle of so much lightning and the thundering echo of so much displaced air in the council chambers made his bones rattle and teeth hurt. Phae was prepared for it this time, though, unlike her first encounter with it on Dromund Kaas nearly a year ago, and she threw the storm off herself in a blast of _power_ so strong even he, Force-deaf and blind as he was, could hear and see it.

(He saw the damned ghosts, too, briefly. Phae may have had them brought to heel now, but he couldn't wait until the four old bastards were long gone.)

Thanaton was broken, though he didn't know it yet, even after Phae knocked him into the far wall with a dismissive wave of her hand. The other members of the Dark Council shifted on their thrones and murmured with interest, and Andronikos fought down another smirk. They were fully immersed in the show Phae was putting on, and she hadn't even gotten to the best part yet.

Thanaton drew his lightsaber one final time and he _leapt_ \- only to be stopped cold by Phae's will. Even as far from the dueling pair as he was, Andronikos could still see the desperation and horror in the Sith's eyes as Tryphaena Renatus, former street rat and slave-

Brought.

Him.

To.

His.

_Knees._

Andronikos didn't bother hiding his grin any longer. He could practically hear Phae's satisfied purr.

Her head turned as she started to prowl around the prone form of her foe. She dropped the neutral visage she'd worn for most of the duel, letting a vicious, victorious smile slowly pull at her lips, and apparently a few of the Dark Councillors could see it, too, if their starts of surprise were anything to go by. Then she flicked her wrist and Andronikos saw a glint of Echani steel in her hand.

He'd been wondering when she'd bring out the knives.

Eventually, she let Thanaton crawl away. She busied herself with cleaning her knives on a piece of cloth torn from the beaten Darth's robes while Darth Mortis broke Thanaton's neck.

And then they crowned her a Darth in her own right.

Makhaira, Darth Marr named her, and clearly he'd been paying attention to the final act of her performance _and_ her reputation among Imperial forces. A bit obvious to anyone who knew that particular dialect of Old Corellian, but there honestly weren't that many around who did and Andronikos was surprised that Marr was one of them.

Whatever. Not the point.

Andronikos had already moved to flank Phae's new Dark Council seat on the right in parade rest as the new Darth climbed the stairs to take her place. She gave him the blinding smile that was his favorite and that she never shared with anyone else, before smoothing her features into a pleasant mask as she turned to face her fellow Sith and settled onto her throne.

He allowed himself one last smirk. The Dark Council had no idea what they were getting into by allowing her a place among them, even as well-earned as it was. Marr likely had some inkling; why else name her _dagger_?

It was going to be fun watching his girl keep these hidebound old Sith on their toes.


End file.
